This is Desolation Plain. It's covered in gravel created by a glacier grinding away at the volcanic rock that makes up much of the area. The glacier used to exit onto the plain through a gap on the right. The glacier no longer exists. It disappeared over the last 20 years. Melted.

Which brings me to Canada's very own George-Bush-Wannabe, Smirkin' Stephen Harper. Funding for measures trying to monitor/counter global warming? "Not in Canada!", says the Smirk. "Heavens no. Business could suffer! Why do anything to increase the odds of our surviving another two or three hundred years?" One word, Smirk: Customers!

Now, just out of curiosity, anybody know why conservatives, all-Canadian or all-American, seem to be so dimwitted? Why is it they can't understand science? They remind me of that old, quickly recalled, Barbie doll that said, "I don't like math. It's too haaaaard!"

On the other hand, Desolation Plain is rather beautiful.